Grain-separator.



PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

W. HILL. I GRAIN SEPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1903.

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No. 757,307. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

G. W. HILL.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION IILBD MAB. 2, 1903.

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No.757,307. PATENTED APR.12,194

' G. W. HILL.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

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UNITED STATES i atented April 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

GRAIN-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,307, dated April 12, 1904.

Application filed March 2, 1903. Serial No. 145,782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRAN W. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alexandria,

in the county of Clark and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Grain-Separator, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to threshing-machines. and grain-separators. In threshing-machines and separators as ordinarily constructed one of the mainobjects usually sought to be attained is to effect the separation of the grain from the straw at the earliest possible stage or, in other words, as soon as possible after the straw and grain leave the threshing-cylinder and concave or while still being operated upon by these elements. This is for the very obvious reason that while the said straw and grain are still being subjected to the violent concussion of the teeth of the cylinder and concave, whereby the grain is being dislodged from the ears, and while the broken-up straw and ears are still subject to a violent agitation this separation may be most easily effected, the grain, which is the heavier, seekinga lower level, which permits it to be coarsely screened and separated from the straw and empty ears. A machine which succeeds in thus separating a large percentage of the grain from the straw at a very early stage may be said to have accomplished a very important part of the work. Machines now in use are estimated to separate from seventy-five to ninety per cent. of the grain at this early stage. Even those machines, however, which most satisfactorily perform this early part of the work and which embody the best principles known in the art still have an extremely-impprtant function to perform in separating the remainder of the grain from the straw, so as to avoid waste as nearly as possible. The primary separation is effected with comparative ease, for the reason that at the time of this separation the straw and grain are in a state of violent agitation, which greatly facili- As the straw progresses through the machine, however, it carries with it more or less grain, some of it loose and some still embedded in ears or in broken parts of ears. As the separation progresses more source of loss to the producer. or even to totally avoid this loss may be stated tion-fan and its casing.

or less of this grain is separated and saved; but it is conceded that even in the most perfect machines known at the present time there is a percentage of waste which, even when reduced to a minimum, has been an important To minimize to be the principal object of my invention.

Further objects of my invention are to simplify the general construction as nearly as may be done consistently with the attainment of the principal object, also to produce a machine which shall be comparatively light-running and in which all of the working parts shall be conveniently accessible, so that; the progress of the work may be noted and that the operators may assure themselves of the satisfactory performance of the work.

With these and other objects in View my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a grain-separator constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. 1 Fig. 1 is a detail side view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the front-end of the machine, showing means for adjusting and locking the concave. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, taken from the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View constructed diagrammatically to indicate the location of the most important constituent parts of the machine. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the front part of the machine, including the threshing-cylinder and concave, the separating-cylinder, and the front parts of the straw-rack and grain-pan, as well as a portion of the suc Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the central part of the machine, including the rear-part of the suction-fan casing and the inlet-duct to the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the rear or tail end of the machine. Fig. 4 is a front view of the machine with parts of the casing removed to show the interior. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the machine with the rear end of the casing removed to 'ing member may be effected.

show the interior construction; Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional detail view exposing the parts below and directly in front and in rear of the separating-cylinder, the latter having been removed. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View taken through the separating cylinder and related parts, taken on the line 7 7 in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the throat of the machine and omitting intermediate slats of the separating-cylinder. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 3 Fig. 9 is a sectional detail view, on an enlarged scale, showing the discharge .end of the separating-screen, the screw that receives the discharge from said screen, and related parts. Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken transversely through a portion of the machine and showing in elevation the valves whereby the admission of air to the suction-fan is automatically regulated. Fig. 11 is a side view, partly in section, indicating the relative location and construction of said valves. Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the separating-cylinder removed from the machine. Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16 are detail views to illustrate the construction of said separating-cylinder. Fig. 17 is a detail plan View, on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the separating-screen. Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on the line 18 18 in Fig. 17 and showing also the parts underlying the separating-screennarnely, the grainbottom and related parts. Fig. 19 is a vertical transverse sectional view of one of the grinding -burs, the casing for the same, and related parts. Fig. 20 is an elevation showing the inner side of the revoluble member of the grinding-bur. Fig. 21 is a view showing the-outer side of said revoluble member, parts having been broken away for the purpose of exposing the underlying construction. Figs. 22, 23, and 24 are detail views illustrating the means whereby the adjustment of the flexibly-supported part of the revoluble grind- Fig. 25 isa sectional detail view illustrating the means for effecting the adjustment of the separatingscreens in the shoes or casings supporting the same. Fig. 26 is a detail elevation of the central portion of the double screw which receives the discharge from the separatingscreen and delivers the same to the grindingburs. Fig. 27 is a longitudinal vertical sectional detail view of the upper part of the discharge-spoutof the separator. Fig. 28 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 28 28 in Fig. 27. Fig. 29 is a horizontal sectional view of the casing of the suction-fan and adjacent parts, including the inlet to and the discharge from said fan-casing. Fig. 30 is a sectional detail to illustrate the detailed construction of the grain-bottom. Fig. 31 is a perspective detail view illustrating a modi fied form of a hanger-frame, a number of which are used in connection with my invention. a

The casing of the machine, which is generally designated 1, may be of any suitable construction. In the drawings it has been shown as comprising the top or deck 2, the sides 3 3, and the bottom 4:, which latter will be hereinafter referred to as constituting in part the top of the fan-casing. This framing or casing is supported upon the main sills 5 5 and 6 6, which are spaced by uprights 7, which are extended upward and connected by the longitudinal frame-beams 8 and cross-beams 9. The sills 5 and 6 are supported, respectively, upon the front and rear axles 10 and 11, bolsters 12 and 13 being interposed, as is usually the case. A casting 1 1 is interposed between the front axle and the bolster 12 in order to properly space the parts and dispose the front end of the casing at a proper elevation. Truss-rods 15 and braces 16 and 17 are also employed in order to suitably strengthen and brace the parts of the frame. It is obvious that the mechanical construction of the frame may be altered or modified if it shall be found desirable to do so. I have endeavored in the accompanying drawings to illustrate what I consider a compact, durable, and desirable construction which shall be capable of withstanding any strain to which the machine shall be subjected either in operation or in transit. I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself with regard to the structural details other than as will hereinafter appear if such structural details shall be deemed essential to the successful operation of the machine as an entirety.

At the front end of the casing is the throat 18, through which the grain is fed to the threshing-cylinder and concave. The threshing-cylinder 19, which is mounted upon shaft 'gitu'dinal bars 22 by means of nuts 23. The

shaft .20 has its hearings in boxes 24: upon longitudinal frame-beams 8.

The concave 25 is composed of cross-bars 26, provided in the usual manner with teeth 27, the rear end of said concave being provided with a grating 28, the bars of which are spaced somewhat closer together than the bars 26, but which nevertheless admit of the free passage of grain to the grain-pan, which is disposed below and which will be hereinafter fully described. Said concave is provided at its ends with downward-extending flanges 29, having oblong or elliptical recesses 30 and 31 near their front and rear ends in which eccentrics or cams 32 and 33, mounted upon shafts 34 and 35, engage. The said flanges 29 are also provided with vertical slots 36, engaging a shaft 37, the ends of which extend through the sides of the casing, where said shaft is properly secured. This shaft, while permitting either of the rocking or of the vertical adjustment of the concave, serves to positively prevent displacement of the latter either in a forward or a rearward direction. The shafts 34 and 35, carrying the eccentrics, are extended at one side of the casing and are provided with operating-levers 38, having lockdogs 39, engaging segmentracks 40, and whereby they may be retained in any position to which theymay be adjusted. It will be observed that by this arrangement the shafts carrying the eccentrics may be turned independently of each other, so as to independendly raise or lower the front and rear ends of the concave, which is supported by the eccentrics mounted upon said shafts. By this mechanism the concave is made capable of adjustment with relation to the face of the cylinder in such a manner as to place the said concave in a position either concentric or eccentric with relation to said cylinder, either the front or the rear end of-s'aid concave being capable of being placed closest to the face of the cylinder at the will of the operator. This is an important feature of my invention, inasmuch as various grains require a different adjustment, and it is also desirable to be able to regulate the adjustment of the concave with relation to the cylinder according to the state of the grain that is to be operated u pon, whether it be dry or more or less damp.

41 designates an inclined plate or deflector which is disposed between the flanges 29 of the concave under the front part of the latter, said deflector extending from the front in a downward and rearward direction for the purpose of directing the grain that passes between the barsof the concave into the grain-pan underneath without danger of its escaping into the space between the front end of said grainpan and the front part of the casing of the machine, especially when the grain-pan is at the rearward end of its stroke or longitudinal movement.

It is obvious that the concave when properly adjusted is firmly supported by the means herein described in such a manner as to render it incapable of displacement by the action .of the cylinder during the operation of the machine.

42 is a cross-beam within the casing, the upper side of which is forwardly and rearwardly beveled or inclined, as shown at 48 and '44.

45 is a grating supported at its front end upon-the cross-beam 42 and at its rear end upon a cross-bar 46, the said grating being placed in such a position as to form a continuation of the forward incline 43 of the upper side of the cross-beam 42. Additional supporting-flanges, as 47, may be disposed at either end of the cross-bar 46. The cross-bars 48 of the grating are inclined downwardly and rearwardly, so as to be approximately parallel to the beveled face 44 of the crossbar 42. The grating 45 terminates directly in front of a rotary grate 49, which will be presently more fully described. It will be observed that by this construction and arrangement of the grate 45 the straw and grain coming from the cylinder and concave will be thrown violently against the bars of said grate, engaging the edges of the bars of said grate, which operate effectively not only to separate the loose grain from the straw, but also to subject the ears stillcontaining grain to a degree of. friction which is effective in dislodging the grain and permitting it to escape.

The rotary grate (designated 49) is composed of heads 50, spaced by the grate-bars 51,which are secured to said heads in any suitable manner, said. heads being mounted upon a shaft 52, having bearings in the casing of the frame of the machine. This rotary grate receives the straw and grain passing rearwardly over the grating 45 from the cylinder and concave and serves to convey the same in a rearward and downward direction. It also at the same time permits the passage of grain, loose and broken heads, and the like between its bars and to the grain-pan, which, as already stated, is disposed underneath in the lower part of the casing. This rotary grate also cooperates with another important member of my improved separator and which I designate the separating-cylinder.

Before proceeding to describe in detail the construction of the separating-cylinder I de sire to state that the function of the said cylinder is to separate from the grain and straw the largest possible proportion of loose grain, broken ears, and the like and to discharge the same at the open heads or ends of said cylinder, the discharge from said separating-cylinder being into special side compartments at the sides-of the grain-pan, where it is subjected to further action, as will be hereinafter ing proper, the grain-pan being of a width to in turn are properly secured to the walls of the separator-casing. These cleats or framepieces, which are designated 53, are of a width to suitably space the sides 54 of the auxiliary casing from the walls of the separator, said cleats or frame-pieces being suitably disposed substantially in the manner which has been indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 3 of the drawings, it being understood that corresponding cleats are to be secured to the opposite wall, which is not seen in said figures. The side pieces 54 are recessed, as shown at 55, to accommodate the upper forward portion of the heads of the separating-cylinder. The lower edges of said side pieces terminate about on a level with the inclined grate 45 and with the upper portion of the rotary. grate 49. Additional side pieces 56, secured to additional cleats or frame-pieces 53, are extended under the heads of the separating-cylinder, the upper forward edges of said side pieces 56 being extended under or overlapped by the lower edges of the side pieces 54. The side pieces 56 are recessed at 57 to accommodate the rotary grate, the cleats or frame-pieces 53 being so disposed as not to interfere with the operation of the latter. The side pieces 56 are reinforced by a board 58, secured to the cleats 53. Flange-bars 59, secured to the sides of the outer casing, are provided with flanges 60, extending laterally in an inward direction and engaging the rear portion of the heads of the separating-cylinder, said flanges being extended from the upper rear portion of the sides 56 and in an upward direction and terminating some distance in rear of the upper rear portions of the sides 54. The isolation of the body of the separating-cylinder from the interior of the machine-casing is completed by a crossbar 61, secured to the under side of the deck of the casing and having a flexible strip 62, of leather, rubber, or other suitable material, that extends almost to the periphery of the separating-cylinder or as close to the latter as it may without interfering with the operation thereof. Braces 63 and 64 connect the flanges 60, respectively, with the walls of the casing and with horizontally-disposed shelves or brackets 65, which latter are connected with the walls of the casing by additional braces 66, said shelves or brackets serving to cooperate with the straw-rack of the machine for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

67 designates the separating-cylinder. Said cylinder is provided with heads 68, having radiating arms 69, whereby they are mounted upon a shaft 70, which hasits bearings in the walls of the casing. One of the projecting ends of the shaft 7 0 carries a pinion 71, meshing with agear-wheel 72 upon the shaft 52 of the rotary grate, which latter thus receives motion at a decreased rate of speed from the separating-cylinder, which, as will be hereinafter seen, derives its motion from the threshing-cylinder. The head or ends of the separating-cylinder have been shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that they are composed of comparatively narrow rings provided with the radial arms 69 and provided at their inner edges with inwardly-extending lateral flanges 73. The radial arms or spokes 69 are centrally connected by the hubs 74. (Best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings.) It will also be understood that the heads are made right and left, although a portion of one of the heads only appears in Figs. 13 and 14. The rings 68, which constitute the heads, are provided upon their inner sides with flanges 74, which may be described as being tangential to a smaller circle and concentric with the circumferential flanges 73 and coacting with the latter to form recesses or sockets 75. In addition to the heads or ends I employ a centrallydisposed supporting-ring 76, having radial arms or spokes 77, connecting with a hub 78 and provided with lateral ly-extending circumferential flanges 79 and 80 and with flanges 81 and 82, which are tangential to a smaller circle described concentrically with the supportingring and of equal diameter to the imaginary circle to which the flanges 7 4 have been described as being tangential and which cooperate with the said circumferential flanges to form recesses or sockets similar to those which are indicated at in Fig. 13. The ring 76 is provided with slots or notches 83 adjacent to the tangential flanges 81 and lugs 82 of said ring. The blades 84 of the separating-cylim der are provided with centrally-disposed slots 85, adapted to engage the sides of the supporting-ring 7 6, in the notches 83 of which the said blades are seated, the inner edges of said blades engaging the recesses or sockets formed between the annular flanges 79 and and the flanges 81 and lugs 82, respectively. The ends .of the blades similarly engage the sockets 75, formed between the flanges 7 4" and the annular flanges 73 of the heads, said blades being secured to the flanges 7 4 of the heads, as well as to the flanges 81 of the central supporting-ring, by means of bolts or rivets, thus securing an unusually firm and solid connection between the parts.

Suitably attached to the radial arms or spokes of the central supporting-ring is a dividing-ring 86 of suitable width, as will be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This ring serves to divide the separating-cylinder practically into two compartments, the contents of which will be delivered through the two eyes or ends of the cylinder. This is for the purpose of preventing either end from being overcrowded at any time if a tendency should arise for the contents of said cylinder to travel in one direction only.

I have hereinbefore referred to the flanges that support the blades 84 as being tangential and I have also stated that they are tangential, not to the separating-cylinder, but to an imaginary circle of smaller diameter. Where the said blades 84 are hereinafter referred to as being tangential, it will be borne ,in mind that they are not tangential to the separating-cylinder, of which they form parts or members, but to an imaginary circle of rearward direction.

smaller diameter, the word tangential being employed as best expressive of the disposition of said blades.

Suitably secured to the tangential blades 84 of the separating-cylinder are a plurality of retarding-braces 87, consisting of short metal bars bent to an approximate V shape and secured to what may be designated as the upper sides of the tangential blades by means of small bolts or rivets 88. From the outer edges of said blades the braces 87 extend in the direction of the adjacent blades, as will be clearly seen in the drawings, without,however, being secured to said adjacent blades. These braces will thus be possessed of some degree of resiliency, and being attached to alternate blades staggering with relation to each other they will perform an important functiod in preventing long straw from entering between the blades of the separating-cylinder. This is an important consideration, for the reason that only loose grain, ears containing grain, broken ears, and short straw, with which grain has become intertangled, should be permitted to enter the said separating-cylinder.

In operation the separating-cylinder and the rotary grate revolve in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 3, the former at a high and the latter at a low rate of speed. The discharge from thethreshing-cylinder and concave is, thrown violently in an upward and Much of the loose grain will have been separated through the bars of the concave and much more will escape between the bars of the inclined grate 45, which act to some extent to intercept the discharge from the concave.

rectly against the face of the separating-cylinder. It will be seen that the extreme inclination of the blades 84 to the radii of the cylinder,

in connection with the direction of said inclination with respect to the direction of its rotation, causes the undershot separating-cylinder to present upon its down-going side a series of downwardly and outwardly inclined slats presented most nearly edgewise toward the threshing-cylinder, and consequently also the utmost width of the openings between said slats. This downward and outward inclination of said slats on this side of the cylinder and that also of the interspaces have most favorable correspondence to the lines in which the grains, &c. are projected from the threshing-cylinder, and consequently the relation most favorable to the entrance of the grain and finer matter into the interior of the separating-cylinder. On the other hand, the extreme inclination to the radii of the upgoing portion of the slats on the rear or far side of the separating-cylinder oifer the maxim um obstruction to the escape between them of the grains, an obstruction which is aided by gravity, said obstruction increasing in the upward The main discharge, however, 1s m an upward and rearward dlrectlon di movement of the slats and their approach to the perpendicular. The grains and finer matters are thus checked and spilled back into the interior by the ascending slats, and as they accumulate, being the finer, heavier, more mobile elements, they gradually overflow or are spilled by the rotation of the cylinder through the eye or opening in each end thereo f. The inclination of the slats 84 being so great, almost tangential to a circle touched by their inner edges and being not backward but forward with respect to the direction of rotation of the cylinder, it will be seen that they will exert the least possible centrifugal action, not merely upon the grains and small matters, but also upon the air. Long straw is prevented from entering the separating-cylinder by the spring-braces 87, which, being attached at one end only, may be said to act as vibrators, whereby the long straw is thrown back and disentangled from loose grain. In the meantime the straw, which has now been deprived of by far the largest percentage of loose grain, drops upon the rotary grate and passes between the latter and the separating-cylinder to the straw-rack, the front end of which is disposed directly under said separating-cylinder, which latter cooperates with the reciprocating movement of the straw-rack to discharge or convey the straw onto'the latter. The mass of straw passing under the separating-cylinder between its periphery and the concave surface of the front part of the strawrack forms a bed or obstruction to the escape of finer matters at this point.

The separating portion of the machine is much wider than the threshing portion. (See especially Fig. 6.) The separating-cylinder is much longer than the threshing-drum. The straw shaker is provided with spreading means, (designated 102,) which will be hereinafter more fully described. Consequently the threshed grain violently projected in a relatively dense condition from under the threshing-cylinder toward the separator is spread out, diflused, and loosened by the spreader 102 and by the combined action of the sepa- IIO rating-cylinder and the shaker formed by the sion of grain to travel more rapidly as well as' more forcibly, and it follows that such heavy particles will readily be engaged by and forced into the separating-cylinder, while the lighter portion of the mass becomes readily separated and drawn beneath the cylinder. Long straw 

